William g



(No Model.)

W. G. VERNON.

TOBACCO HANGER. .No. 442,082. 'PatentedDec. 2, 1890.

i \z O I INVENTOH m; /jewk ATTORNEY.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WVILLIAM G. VERNON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE MODERN TOBACCO BARN COMPANY.

TOBACCO-HANGER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 442,082, dated December 2, 1890.

Application filed February 3, 1890. Serial No. 339,027. (No model.

T0 to whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM G. VERNON, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tobacco-Hangers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to apparatus upon which green tobacco-leaves are suspended in the process of curing them in the tobaccobarn, and is known in the art by the specific name of tobacco stick or hanger.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating the same, a front elevation is shown of my improved stick or hanger, one end being broken off and the other end being divided by a vertical sectional cut through one of the prongs or supportihg-wires.

As well known in the art, these sticks or hangers are supported in a suitable manner by various means in a drying or curing barn, the green tobacco-leaves being strung upon the prongs or wires extending outwardly on either side of the stick.

The stick or hanger A is of wood of suitable dimensions say about three feet long by one inch by three-quarters of an inch-and is provided with about seven prongs h at intervals in its length, extending outward about four inches from each side of the stick and at right angles thereto. These prongs are constructed of a piece of steel wire pointed at each end and driven through the stick. The leaves of tobacco are cut from the stalks and their stem-butts are impaled on these wire prongs until the stick or hanger isfull, which is then placed on racks or other supporting means in the drying-barn.

In the use of sticks or hangers provided with laterally-extending hooks, prongs, or

hanger from various causes, principally shrinkage, weight, wear, &c., and my present invention is intended to obviate that difficulty by a novel and more economical means of construction than any heretofore employed for that purpose, and to that end the means adopted by me of inserting and securing the steel wire forming the prongs is accomplished as follows, viz: The steel-wire pin I), preferably sharpened at both ends, is driven by suitable mechanism through the stick or hanger a short distance below the top surface thereof until it projects an equal distance on each side of the stick. At a point 0 in the top surface of the stick immediately over the steel pin a chisel or other instrument is inserted and driven into the stick until it reaches the center of the pin 1) embedded in the stick, and bends the same downward in the center, as shown in the drawing, embedding the wire into the body of the wooden stick, so that it is held firmly therein and without possibility of its position being effeeted by shrinkage of the wood or by wear and tear, and rendering it capable of sustaining greater weight without being moved from the horizontal line.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A tobacco stick or hanger consisting of a wooden body-piece, in combination with aseries of hard-metal prongs of wire arranged at right angles thereto on either side at intervals, said prongs consisting of metal pins driven laterally through the body-piece and bent downward at the center within the same after insertion therein, substantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature this 27th day of January, A. D. 1890.

VILLIAM G. VERNON.

Vitnesses:

R. S. REED, R. HAWKINS. 

